And on the same day, it was verified that Longoria is officially on Twitter (@Evan3Longoria).

Coincidence? Hardly.

A closer look at the “official Twitter account of Evan Longoria, AL Gold Glove and Silver Slugger at 3B for the Tampa Bay Rays,” suggests that while Longoria may have approved of the account, it is doubtful that he is the voice behind the account.

The first account to follow Longoria on Twitter belongs to “Ronnie2K,” a publicist at 2K Sports. The second account to follow Longoria on Twitter was “2K Sports.”

See the pattern?

So if you follow @Evan3Longoria on Twitter, you are in all likelihood NOT following Evan Longoria. You are more likely following “Ronnie2K” as he pretends to be Evan Longoria all while promoting the release of “MLB2K10” and trying to get you to spend money on a product that will be vastly inferior to “MLB 10 The Show.”

Unless of course you think Dirtbag would actually refer to himself as a “Silver Slugger at 3B” or post THIS PICTURE.

He wasn’t my Longoria. He wasn’t your Longoria. But he used to be “Our Longoria.” And unfortunately he is now “Corporate Longoria.” Because while “Our Longoria” wanted nothing to do with social networks, “Corporate Longoria” is not above pretending to open up to his fans on social networks.

2K vastly inferior, not hardly. Madden "bought" an exclusive contract with the NFL/NFLPA for 250 Million dollars that's why No other football game can compete with them. NFL 2K5 is recognized as the standard by which ALL video football games are measured by, created by 2K!

If you want to talk about being vastly superior, look at www.vgchartz.com to look at NBA2K vs. NBALIVE NBA2K has sold about 550K (360, PS3, Wii), NBALIVE10 (same systems) about 250K.

I will say this, MLB The Show, exclusive for the PS3, is the best baseball game on the market. FYI Thomas, EA doesn't make Baseball Games.

I dont think anybody has a problem with Longoria doing endorsements. Quite the contrary, it is great and glad to see he is being recognized as one of the best in the game. the problem is with how this is being promoted. It is extremely unfair to all the fans on Twitter that think Evan is speaking to them when in fact it is just somebody pretending to be Evan.

It is a sham and a fraud. If Longo doesn't want to be on Twitter thre is nothing wrong with that. But dont pretend to be on Twitter just to try and sell something.

Why should anyone really care if some tweens think that they are really following the real evan longoria at this twitter page? And so what if this twitter account gets someone to buy a game that isn't even the best MLB one out there? If that's the case, then that's what they get for being extremely gullible and spending too much time on Twitter. I'm sure Evan could care less and I think everyone else should too. That's just the nature of the business now. No harm, no foul.

actually Twitter users are mostly adults. and Longo already has 1,000 followers, a lot of whom are Rays fans that are getting screwed by Big Business into believing something they want to believe is true. Are they partly to blame? Sure. Just like all of Madoff's victim's are a little too blame. But that didn't make it ok to scam the innocent.

I dont like it because they are treating us (Rays fans and baseball fans) like we are dumb. I dont like it because it is a lie. And yes, all players/teams/businesses/agents lie, but that doesn't mean I have to sit back and take it.

I have always run this site as a way to keep ALL Rays fans informed. I have no desire to only inform adult Rays fans or Rays fans that are not gullible to some degree.

You may not care. That's fine. But that doesn't mean it is wrong for somebody else to care and it doesn't mean that others don't have a right to know the truth and it doesn't mean I don't have a right to be a little bothered that Evan Longoria is letting his reps treat us like we are idiots.

Professor...you need to change this title to the crucifiction of Evan Longoria, not the crapification. You live in NY....correct? Jeter et al can pick and choose endorsements...Longo signed an extremely friendly 6 yr deal with the worst franchise, at the time in the MLB...and was happy doing it. He also signed, for what in the past for any TB Ray/Devil Ray was an endorsement future in Siberia. He is bucking the odds and is doing it all, wining awards that have other rays players in the past should have won.
Would you be happier if he was getting press by kissing his image in a mirror, and being an admitted steroid abuser? I was a fan of this blog in the past...but I'm thinking you have lived in NY for to long. Blog for the Yanks...they can pick and choose their endorsements....they can cheat and kiss themselves....but you seem to be OK with that.

Nobody loves Dirtbag more than I do. Meeting him on the field before Game 1 of the ALCS is a moment I will tell my kids about. If you are OK with the lying and the deceit just to sell a few video games, that's cool. I am sure it doesn't bother a lot of people. But it bugs me. Again, I am happy for Longo to get his endorsements. Get 'em all. That's great for him. Just dont be a phony while doing it.

The same week arod admitted steroid use, there was a spread in a magazine of him kissing himself in the mirror. I forgot to type the "mirror part. I feel the twitter account is misguided, but it's been up for what a few days? Maybe it will be corrected. You can keep fans informed and debate an issue without a salacious headline that starts out with "crapification." The guys 24yo and is the best thing to ever happen to the rays. It's a good day to be thankful he is with our team and signed the contract he did. As I head out to meet friends and fowl.....everyone have a safe and happy day, and give thanks to those closest to you.

Not sure why you think that I was OK with ARod's admitted steroid use and photo spread kissing himself in the mirror. If that was Evan Longoria The headline would have been MUCH more salacious than "crapification."

As for this story, the headline is more in reference to what I am worried this will lead to. Is this just the first thing? If he will let somebody fake a Twitter account to sell some video games, what won't he do? Maybe this ends up being the worst thing that ever happens, in which case it really isn't that big a deal in the grand scheme of things. But seeing as how this is what is likely the first of many big-time endorsements, it doesn't seem like a good start. So, no, I dont think this fake Twitter account makes Longo "Crap" but it is more a warning that if this is going to be the norm, well, then we have a different story.

YOU GO LONGO.....and keep those corporate dollars coming your way....as long as nothing illegal.....no harm no foul!
Look at Woods (Buick) , MJ (underwear), I could go on and on..... but if you think these guys use these products.....your part of the naive public...Twitter your ass off Longo (or whoever).....if the public is duped....so be it...that is.......
corporate America at its best!

You know what is "crap"...small time blog posters who can't stand to see big time baseball players try to maximize their income during their short careers...knock Longo, A Rod, Jeter....whoever....but thats the system....live with it...or kiss my mirror...ass.....

I am so behind the times. I didn't know that twitter accounts were the new source of truth these days. I thought they were all scams, creating some sense of false connection with icons that none of us have ever met or really know.

Truth involves two way communication. All one way communication is propoganda.

A lot of celebs on Twitter do offer two way communication. Obviously they dont communicate with everybody but there is the chance that your comments will be read or responded to. Also, I think the lure of celebs on Twitter is the behind the scenes access into their everyday lives that you normally dont see. Either way, the celeb accounts that are really popular (Shaq, Ashton Kutcher, Rainn Wilson, etc) are not propaganda. They are actually kinda fun.

Go Longo! He has every right to make an extra buck for his fame. Jeter has his share too, just walk down the baseball training section of the sporting goods store....it's Derek Jeter this, and Derek Jeter that. I hope Longo has the longevity of success that Jeter has had and stays with the Rays.
Oh btw - Longo DID have a legit twitter account and tweeted a few times, but he doesn't anymore to my knowledge. So beware of the posers!